Electrical current collector



7 Aug. 15, 1950 K. R. WEISE ET AL 65 ELECTRICAL CURRENT COLLECTOR Filed May 50, 1945 i 2 Sheet s-Shet 1 K027 ,8 14 5/55 H6. 2 5 BY HARRY/4. Coreswaem ET TORNLT/ g- 1950 K. R. WElSE ET AL 2,519,165

ELECTRICAL CURRENT COLLECTOR Filed May 30, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORJ K027- E War/5E:

similar to that disclosed and claimed in U. S. Patent to Anjeskey, No. 2,318,354 is shown as distinguished from a motor-driven carrier.

The tractor B comprises a frame It), opposite ends of which are suspended from the carrier rail A by round bars H, [2 welded to the lower ends of U-shaped members 53, M, the upward ends of which project upwardly along opposite sides of the rail A and have pairs of supporting wheels I5, I5, respectively, connected thereto, The tractor is driven or propelled along the rail A by an electric motor bolted to the frame H3 and operatively connected by gearin enclosed within the frame and accessible through a cover 25.

The gearing referred to connects the motor 26 to an hourglass-shaped wheel 22 rotatably sup-' ported in the frame In and located midway between the ends of the tractor. The hourglassshaped wheel 22 is continuously engaged by a plurality of wheels 23, 24 rotatably connected to brackets 25, 26 pivotally connected to the frame 'H), the upper sides of which wheels engage the underside of the carrier rail A. Resilient means, not shown,but interposed between the frame as and the members I I, I2,- continuously urge the frame In in an upward direction, thus maintaining the wheels 23, 24 in engagement with the carrier track A and the hourglass-shaped wheel 22. The construction is such that the tractor A is propelled along the carrier track by the wheels 23, 24 upon operation of the motor 20. I

The motor 20 shown is a three phase alternating current motor and the current for operating the same is supplied thereto by a pair of current collectors 2?, 28 of commercial constructionlocated' at opposite sides of the carrier rail A. The current collectors Z1, 28 are in continuous engagement with trolley conductor bars 3!], also located at opposite sides of the carrier rail A and 'connected thereto in a conventional manner. The

third rail, in the present instance, is the carrier rail A. The construction thus far described is substantially the same as that shown in the aforesaid patent and per se forms no part of the present invention.

The present invention contemplates the provision of means for selectively performing some function on the carrier at a predetermined point or station in the system or section of carrier track A. In the present instance, the function is that of selectively stopping and starting the tractor B without disconnecting the current s p ply to the trolley conductors 38. 3! and the third rail. For this purpose, the tractor B is provided with a current collector C adiustably connected to a square bar 32 welded to the U-shaped member l4, hereinafter specifically described,which current collector is adapted to engage ashort length of trolley conductor bar D located at the mally closed relay 36, which relay is located on the tractor and is adapted to break the circuit between the current collectors 27, 28 and the motor 20 when the operating solenoid 35 is energized. Current is selectively supplied to the op- :erating solenoid 35 of the relay 36 by a push button. switch 31 having'both an "on and an off position located at some convenient place remote from the carrier track A and the tractor B. Alternatively the push button switch 37 may be replaced by a limit switch or some similar device to meet varying requirements. The switch 3'! is connected in series circuit between the source of current supply and the short section of trolley conductor bar D, as will be readily understood from the wiring diagram, Fig. 9. The construction is such that the tractor B can be stopped when it is traveling on that part of the system provided with the trolley conductor bar D by merely pressing the switch 31 to close the circuit to the operating solenoid 35 of the relay 36.

* When it is desired to again start the trolley, it

is merely necessary to open the switch 31. Ohviously the control circuits shown may be employed to perform any desired function on the tractor other than that of disconnecting the circuit to the drive motor and causing the tractor tostop. 5 we With the present construction, operation can be performed on the tractor or carrier at predetermined locations about the system without the necessity of extending the trolley conductor bar D throughout the entire system, thus saving a large amount of trolley conductor bar and reducing the cost of the system materially. When short sections of trolley conductor bars are employed, the current collector which cooperates therewith must disengage and reengage the trolley conductor bars which requires the provision of some means for controlling the position of the contact member of the'current collector when it is free of the trolley conductor bar, which means will nevertheless permit the contact member to follow curves or other irregularities in the trolley conductor bar when engaged therewith.

Referring particularly to Figs. 4 to 8, inclusive,

q the current collector C comprises a contact or trolley wheel-4i! rotatably supported on a tubular shaft 4| fixedly secured in the right-hand end of a forked arm 42, which arm has a clownwardly extending projection 43 at the left-hand end and is pivotallysupported adjacent to its left-hand end for rotation about a horizontal axis by a 'pin 44 extending therethrough and through suitable apertures in the upper end of a U-shaped member 45 having a downwardly extending cylindrical shank 46 supported for rotation about a vertical axis in a suitable aperture in a two-part bracket 41, 48 adapted to be fixedly secured to the bar 32 by a bolt 50.

The trolley wheelll is hourglass or concave in shape andis comparatively wide so that it will readily follow the trolley conductor bar regardless of what curves or other irregularities may be encountered, While the depression at the center of the wheel as is comparatively shallow, it will follow the trolley conductor bar around curves'and the like. For safety reasons, the ends of the arm 42 between which the trolley wheel 40 is supported, are extended upwardly at either side of the trolley wheel, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, to eliminate any possibility of the wheel not properly following the trolley conductor bar.

The arm 42 is continuously urged in a direction to engage the trolley wheel 40 with the trolley conductor bar D by a pair of tension springs 5|, 52 connected to lugs or projections 53, 54

formed integral with-the left-hand end of the arm 42 and two arms or projections-55, 56 on a member 5'! fixed to the lower end of the shank 46 of the member. The axis of .the cylindrical shank 45 9 t e member- 45 isiatrightangles to strains and intersects. the center of the: troltey conductor bar E. and. theaxis of the; pivotaltisat right ansies to the. axis or the-member. 65, The con-- struction thus far described would v be sumcient: if

the trolley wheel; Ail: was to be continuously engagedrwith. the trolley conductor-bar D2,. however,

notthecase: audit-he present invention contemplates the provision oi means forlimiting' the upward movement. of the trolley-wheel 4B: and

the. rotation oil'the arm 42: about the vertical axis approaches the section of trolley bar D or some oth'er similar section or seetioris posit-ioned at desired locations about thesystcrn.

For the purpose of limiting therotation ofthe arm-r4 2 about the horizontal pivotand; iii-turn, the upward movement of the trolley wheel 40; the arm 42 includes aboss' 60- at the lower end of the extension 43, which boss is providedwith, an adjustable screw 61' adapted "to be retained in any adjusted position by a jam 'nut- 62. The right-hand end of the; screw BI' is adapted, to engage the bracket- 41. The approximate upper limit of travel of the trolley wheel 40 is shown in dot dash lines in Figs. 2 and 4.

Forthe purpose oflimiting the. rotation of the arm 42 aboutthe verticalpi'vot 4.6 when the trolley wheel 4c is. disen aged from. the trolley conductor bangthe bracket, His. provided with a pair of projections 63,, M, which'proj'ections, form a V'-.shape.d groove 65. into whichthed wnw rdly t ndin part 43, of the. arm. 42, engag asthe trolley wheel 4fiIleaves the end of the trolley condoctor bar D. When the.- trolley wheel to. is in engagement. with the. trolley conductor bar,,.the arm. 42 is depressed sufficiently to either free' he extension 4?. from the. pr jections 53. 64 or to position it, in the wide, portion or; the; roove: .65 where the projections 63,464 willnotin erf re with the normal, operation oi the. arm 42... Alternative y he extension 43 could-have t e groove 65 therein, etc.

, The rightrhand end. of the .member 51, as viewed Figs. 4 and a is: provided witha wide groove 1.!!- iorrned by protectionsll .tzinto which roove is proiection iron the member 4'! extends the extension 43 of the arm; M: to-bccome dis.-

aligned with. the groove 65, eventhough the extension may be free of the projections 63, 64.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that; the objects of the-invention heretofore enumerated and others have been accomplished and that there has beenprovideda -novel and improved; carrier system comprising a carrier orcatrier having an electrically-operated device controlled Iroma'remote location when'the carrierbr carriers are traveling on a predetennined part. of the. system. It will; also be apparent thata new and improved current collector" has' been provided which is especially adaptable to cooperate with an intermittent trolley conductor bar.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in considerable detail; the invention is-not limited to the. particular: construction shown, and. it is our intention to hereby cover all: adaptations, modifications and its uses thereof which come within the practice of those skilled in.v the artto 'which the invention relates.

Having thus describedour invention, what we claim is: f

l. A. current collector comprising an arm mem'- ber, a contact member adapted to engage a trolley conductor, means supporting said contact mombar in said arm memberadjacent to one end thereof, a frame member adapted to be connected to a carrier, an-interr-media'se member supported in said frame member for rotation about an a'xis at right angles to anclintersecting the trolley conductor, a shaft journaled in said intermediate member and supporting saidarm for oscillation about an axis at right angles to the first-mentioned axis, means continuously urging said arm member in adi'rection to engage said contact member with the trolley condncton'and' a pair of spaced diverging projections on said frame member adapted to receive a portion of the arm member-therebetween for limiting the scillation oisaid arm member about said first mentiolned axis.

2.. A current collector comprisingan arm, a frame member adapted to be. connected to a 'carrier, an intermediate member supported in said frame member for rotation about an axis at right angles to and intersecting the trolley conductor, said intermediate member having'one e'n'dthereof bifurcated, a. shaft carried by the bifurcated end carried by said arm member adjacent 'to one end thereof, means yieldably urging said arm memher in a. direction to engage saidcontact member withjthe trolley conductor a' pair of spaced diverging projection on said frame member, and an extension on said arm positioned between said proiecitions for limiting the .oscillation or said arm member about said first-mentioned 3. In a, carrier system. the co bi o fj a carrier supporting rail, a carrier movable along i r l, a tro ley conductor extendin along a limitedportion of said raiL. a cont-act, memb n gageable with said trolley conductor, m ans con} necting, said contact'member to said ,c'arrierror rotation about. an. axisnormal to. and intersecting the trolley conductor when the rrier i on saidv portion of said. ran having "said trolle 0on1- do tor adjacent thereto. andrncans comp ising a pair or stationary spaced projections. cooperating with the means for connecting the contact member to. said carrier [for limiting'themovement. of said. contact member about said axis;

a, In an overhead underslong monorail. carrier system, the. combination of an; overhead mono rai1,,.a underslung. arrier. movable along said rail, a trolley conductor extendin along a limited portion of. said rail. a. contact member .eneas abl with said trolley conductor, means, connecting said, contact member to said carrier for rotation about an. axis. normal to and intersecting the trolleyconductor when the carrier is onthjapor tion of. said.v railadiacent to said trolley (2911 7- duc or, and means forlimi ing tbamovemcntioi said contact member about said axis.

5. A current collector, comprising an arm member, a contact member adapted to engage a trolley. conductor, means supporting said contact 7 member in said arm member adjacent to one end thereof, a frame member adapted to be connected to a carrier, an intermediate member supported in said frame member for rotation about an axis at right angles to and intersecting the trolley conductor, a shaft journaled in said intermediate member and supporting said arm for oscillation about an axis at right angles to the first-mentioned axis, means continuously urging said arm member in a direction to engage said contact member with the trolley conductor, and a pair of spaced projections on said intermediate member cooperating with a portion of the frame member located therebetween for limiting the oscillation of said arm member about said first mentioned axis.

, 6. A current collector comprising an arm having a bifurcated end, a trolley conductor engaging wheel rotatably mounted in the bifurcated end of said arm, the outer ends of the bifurcated portions of said arm having projections extending above the periphery of the wheel and the said wheel being relatively wide and havin a concave periphery to assist the latter in following the trolley conductor, a frame member adapted to be rigidly connected to a carrier, an intermediate member supported in said frame member for rotation about an axis at right angles to and intersecting the trolley conductor, means supporting said arm in said intermediate member for oscillation about an axis at right angles to the first-mentioned axis, means yieldably urging said arm member in a direction to engage said wheel with the trolley conductor, a. pair of spaced diverging projections on said frame member, and an extension on said arm normally positioned between said projections for limiting the oscillation of said arm member about said first-mentioned axis, the said projections diverging in a direction to permit greater movement of said arm member as it moves in a direction away from the trolley,

' 7. In an overhead underslung monorail carrier system, the combination of an overhead monorail, an underslung carrier movable along said rail, a trolley conductor extending along a limited portion of said rail, a frame member adaptedto be rigidly attached to said carrier, an intermediate member supported for rotation in said frame member about an axis normal to and intersecting the trolley conductor when the carrier is on a portion of said rail adjacent to said trolley conductor, a contact member engageable with said trolley conductor, means supporting said contact member upon said intermediate mem ber, means urging the contact memberinto engagement with the conductor, and means for limiting the movement of said contact member and intermediate member about said axis, the last-mentioned means including a'pa'ir of spaced projections on said frame with a portion of the means for mounting the contact member extending therebetween for limitin the movement of the contact member about the said axis 'whenthe contact member is out of engagement with the trolley conductor.

8. In an overhead underslung monorail carrier system, the combination of an overhead monorail, an underslung carrier movable along said rail, a trolley conductor extending along a limited portion of said rail, a frame member mounted on said carrier, an intermediate member journaled in said frame member for rotation about an axisrnormal to and intersecting the trolley conductor when the carrier is on a por tion of the said rail adjacent to said conductor, an arm member pivotally connected to said intermediate member for making movement about an axis perpendicular to the first-mentioned axis, one end of said arm member being bifurcated, a concave trolley wheel journaled between the bifurcated portions of said arm, means cooperating with said arm for resiliently urging said trolley wheel in a direction to engage said conductor, and means for limiting the movement of said arm member about the first-mentioned axis, whereby said trolley wheel may follow curves in said trolley conductor when in engagement therewith and will be maintained in proper position for re-engaging said trolley when said carrier is moving along the portion of the monorail adjacent which there is no trolley conductor.

9. A current collector for cooperation with a trolley conductor of limited length, the said collector comprising a frame member adapted to be connected to a body movable adjacent the trolley, an intermediate member supported in said frame member for rotation about an axis extending at right angles to and intersecting the trolley conductor, an arm member, means pivotally supporting said arm member on said intermediate member for oscillation about an axis extending at right angles to the first-mentioned axis, a trolley contacting member supported by said arm member adjacent an end thereof, yieldable means continuously urging said arm member in a direction to effect engagement of said contact member with the trolley conductor, and a pair of diverging projections on said frame memberadapted to receive and centralize a portion of said arm member therebetween when the arm member is moved under the influence. of said yieldable means upon disengagement of the contact member from said trolley conductor thereby preventing rotation of said intermediate and arm members about said first-mentioned axis so that the contact member is retained in proper position for reengagement with the said trolley conductor.

10. A current collector as defined inclaim 9 and further comprising a pair of spaced projections on said intermediate member cooperating with a portion of the frame member for limiting the oscillations of said intermediate and arm members about said first-mentioned axis whether or not the said contact member is in engagement with the trolley conductor.

' KURT R. WEISE.

HARRY A. COTESWORTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

